[intro]If you are experiencing slow page loading times on your EKM online shop, this Guide will take you through the steps you need to take to identify the issue and if need be, report it to the Customer Support Team. 

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If you are finding some or all of the pages on your EKM online shop are slow to load - either whilst viewing the front end or the back end - the steps listed here will help to identify the cause of the issue. 

Each EKM online shop is different despite being built on the same platform; some may be using third-party platforms (such as GA4 or Facebook Messenger, for example), some may be using a Legacy or Custom Theme, some might not have optimised Design Images, some might import data from suppliers, and so on. There are a number of checks that you can do which may resolve or reduce the issue for you, or at the very least help to identify the cause of the problem. 

To begin, make a note of the action you’re doing;

  • If you’re viewing pages on the front end of your EKM online shop (as your customers would), make a note of the URLs and if necessary, what order you’re visiting them;
  • If you’re viewing the back end of your EKM online shop (as the shop owner), make a note of what pages and/or features you are using, with replication steps where possible. 

When you have noted these steps down, you need to follow the steps below to help ascertain the cause of the issue:

1. Clear Browser Cache

The first thing you can do is to clear the cache on your browser. This is not 'clearing the history' - this means clearing the cache, cookies and temporary files. This needs to be done regularly. If you're not sure how to do this click here, scroll to the bottom and click the relevant link for a step-by-step Guide for your browser of choice. 

2. Check different Browsers

If that still hasn't improved the issue, try and repeat the same process, using a different browser than your usual favourite one. Again, check that the cache has been cleared on it, and repeat your steps. If the page is still taking a while to load on this second browser, it's probably not a browser issue. 

3. Check different Devices

The next step to try is another device and see if you can replicate the issue there. If you have a phone or tablet, replicate your steps on that to see if the issue still occurs, but ensure that this device is only using your home Wi-Fi connection. Again, check more than one browser and see if you still get a slow page load. 

4. Check Browser Version

If you don't get that slow page load on a different device (using home Wi-Fi only), return to your computer and look at your normal browser. Is it up to date? You can find this out by Googling '[Browser name]+ latest version'. If it needs updating, do so. Equally, check and see if your computer's operating system needs updating, as this can cause issues as well. Are there any third-party apps or programs that are running on your computer in the background that can potentially slow things down? Check for these too. 

5. Use Mobile Data

Wi-FiIf you've done all of the other steps and still have a slow page loading time, the next thing to do is to replicate the steps on a tablet or phone, but this time, use your mobile data connection ONLY, not the home Wifi. If the pages load quicker at this point, there could be an issue with your home Wi-Fi. You can check the speed of your home Wifi by clicking here. In this case, your IP (Internet Provider) will be the best port of call if you have an issue with your Internet connection. 

6. Check Design Images are Optimised

If the pages don't load any quicker using a tablet, phone or laptop, whether on home Wi-Fi or mobile data, the next step is to visit Pingdom Tools. Follow the steps in this Guide and ensure that all of the Design Images on your EKM online shop have been optimised. 

7. Contact the Customer Support Team

If this hasn't improved the issue at this point, then you need to report this issue to the Customer Support Team. Let them know:

  • What steps you were taking to see the pages load slowly;
  • What devices (phone/laptop/tablet) you have tested on;
  • Results from What’s My Browser (click this link then click the green Copy button and paste the results into your email for the Customer Support Team);
  • Results (either screenshots or URL) from any third-party testing platforms you have used in your process.

Add all of your information into an email and send it to support@ekm.com with the account ID of your EKM online shop and the Customer Support Team will be able to investigate this issue for you.

[tips]If one of your customers has been in contact with you about slow loading speeds, try and get as much information as possible from them:

  • What device were they using? 
  • Were they on home Wi-Fi or mobile data? 
  • What browser were they using? 
  • What page were they trying to view?

If you can not replicate their steps yourself to test, let the Customer Support Team know as they may be able to do so on your behalf.[/tips]

[contact] If you need our help with your EKM online shop, contact your Ecommerce Expert or the Customer Support Team, who will be able to point you in the right direction. We're open from 8am-6pm weekdays and 9am-5.30pm weekends. If you'd like to suggest a feature or an upgrade on any of the EKM platforms, please let us know on the EKM Suggestions Board. If you have a non-account specific question to ask the EKM Team, join us in EKM Community. If you need some inspiration for your EKM online shop, listen to our podcast on iTunes and Spotify.[/contact]